Logical Conclusion

Stephen R. Covey

A manager of a remote service station trained his new attendants how to make higher-margin revenue from customers who drove into the station by teaching the attendants how to find problems inside a car that weren't there.

So, when a car pulls in, the manager first sees the plates and says, "Notice this is an out-of-towner. That means you'll probably never see the person again. So probe to learn if the person knows anything about his car. Talk to him about some technical thing under the hood. You might say, 'Your starting motor looks like it might go out on you.' If the person says, 'Starting motor? What's that?' then you know you've got a total idiot, so you can do whatever you want." You then say, "Well, if it were my car, I wouldn't want to take a chance with my starting motor, especially driving through the desert. I could be stranded." "I can't have that happen. What should I do?" "Well, we could give you a good deal on a new one. I'll sell you one at cost and throw in all the labor free."

So the victim thinks, "What a deal I got! I only had to pay $200 for the starting motor. It was normally $349 with labor." But the manager winks at his attendants, knowing he has a 40-percent margin built into the price of the motor. Later, the attendants huddle and say to each other, "Now, if this guy would do that to his customers, how is he going to deal with us?" Each attendant knows that the manager will look for ways to cheat them as well.

Click here to read 'Be Loyal To Those Absent' by Stephen R. Covey.

Learn more about the timeless principles in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by registering for a complimentary webcast.

About the Author

Over his lifetime, Stephen inspired millions with the power of universal principles. As he traveled the globe many times over, his message was a simple one: for true success and meaning in life, we must be principle-centered in all areas of life. A teacher at heart, he often taught, "There are three constants in life: change, choice and principles." From the oval office, the board room, community halls and to the school house and family room, Stephen taught the mindset, skillset and toolset found in The 7 Habits of Highly effective people, his seminal work. His legacy is woven in The 7 habits, and, just as these habits are universal and timeless, so is Stephen R. Covey, who is admired around the world for his simple, yet powerful, universal, timeless teachings. Recognized as one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey was one of the world’s foremost leadership authorities, organizational experts, and thought leaders.
More Content by Stephen R. Covey

Lack of Integrity

Once I was at the Canadian border, and I went into this store where there was a "half-price sale" going on....

Loyal Integrity

One time I told this story in a speech. After my speech, an executive vice president of a large bank came u...

6 Ways to Help Your Team Handle Stress During Times of Change

Download Guide

Return to Home

We enable greatness in people and organizations everywhere.

Logical Conclusion

About the Author

Previous Article

Next Article

Logical Conclusion

About the Author

Previous Article

Next Article

Most Recent Articles

FranklinCovey’s mission of enabling greatness in people and organizations everywhere is essentially a mission about change.

We have identified the four most common pitfalls impacting leaders in transition and provide strategies for leaders to successfully navigate these potential pitfalls.

There is a lot of research about leaders failing to transition into an organization and/or up into a new role. It is important to understand you are on a journey through transition.

Based on our data, we have created a formula for helping new leaders work through the top four reasons for failure.

There are several things you can do to keep remote workers engaged. Look over this list and see if there are some you can implement.

Skilled leaders understand that change is a disruptive force and an opportunity. By understanding the predictable pattern of change, leaders can reframe hybrid work as a catalyst for growth.

Most of us fear failure and try to avoid it at all costs, becoming stressed out and risk-averse. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to change your mind about failure.

So you’ve got extremely talented people on your team and you have them aligned with appropriate tasks where they should really excel. But your results aren’t matching your expectations. What now?

What do you do when your team starts to falter or produce less than stellar results—how do you turn things around and recover?

Project management is now the work and competitive edge of the twenty-first century, even for workers without that phrase in their title or job description. Master these 4 skills to excel.

Creating behavior change requires three learning and development components that drive lasting impact. Read this article to learn more.

Leaders have an opportunity to facilitate smooth sailing on projects. Learn how keeping open lines of communication, inspiring enthusiasm, and cultivating an agile approach contribute to success.

Want to be smart about your L&D program budget? Align your learning outcomes with broader business goals for ultimate success. Learn more in this article.

When HR leaders invest in application-driven learning and development solutions, they provide ongoing learning opportunities that lead to lasting impact for their organization.

You’re in a unique position to solve problems your people can’t solve on their own and to obtain resources they don’t have access to.

Leaders can support their project teams by taking time to build frameworks for collaboration and cultivating a healthy team culture built on trust and clear communication.

How can you determine if you should change how you work, or if you should look for something different? Ask yourself these questions:

When projects are tied to business value, grounded in effective collaboration, and driven by healthy processes, leaders can help their teams achieve their goals.

Change is an ever-present part of running an organization. Today, rapid changes in technology, market dynamics, staffing, and consumer preferences have accelerated the need for upskilling.